The House of Representatives has announced that it will vote on a constitutional amendment to allow for the creation of state and local police forces as part of efforts to tackle rising insecurity across Nigeria.
Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who also chairs the House Committee on Constitution Review, told reporters after plenary that lawmakers have decided to prioritise the state police issue over other proposed bills.
He said the House has instructed all members currently outside Abuja on oversight duties to suspend those activities and return to the parliament on Thursday, June 11, for the voting procedure. The bill on state police is sponsored by the Deputy Speaker and 14 other members of the House.
The House of Representatives has scheduled Thursday, June 11, for a crucial vote on a constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police across Nigeria.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the Deputy Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee, Benjamin Kalu, during a briefing with journalists in Abuja.
Kalu urged all lawmakers to be present for the plenary session, stressing the importance of the vote as part of ongoing efforts to tackle the country’s security challenges.
According to him, the House has prioritised consideration of the state police proposal above several other constitutional amendment bills currently before the National Assembly.
To ensure full participation, lawmakers who are away from Abuja on oversight assignments have been directed to suspend their engagements and return to the chamber ahead of Thursday’s proceedings.
The state police bill is sponsored by Kalu alongside 14 other members of the House of Representatives.
The development follows recent indications from the Presidency that progress has been made toward the creation of state police. Last week, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, disclosed that the constitutional amendments required to establish state police were nearing completion.
Speaking after a consultative meeting on state policing at the State House in Abuja, Gbajabiamila said discussions on the framework began months ago following a directive from President Tinubu and have now advanced to the constitutional amendment stage.
The proposed legislation is widely seen as a significant step in ongoing efforts to strengthen security architecture and improve policing at the subnational level.